


Too Good to Be True

by kirallea



Category: Xena: Warrior Princess
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-11
Updated: 2014-12-11
Packaged: 2018-03-01 02:06:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,712
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2755547
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kirallea/pseuds/kirallea
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Gabrielle buys a necklace, and things start getting weird.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Too Good to Be True

Gabrielle is delighted to find out they're approaching a village. They've been traveling in the woods for days, shivering under blankets at night and eating so much fish that she's starting to feel sick. Gabrielle doesn't mind spending long stretches of time alone with Xena, but she's still excited to get to this village, where she can hopefully do some shopping and just enjoy the feeling of being surrounded by people, which is something she's starting to miss. They haven't seen another human being for five days, and she's not eager to repeat this feat, even though it might happen again, once they leave the village. 

”We're going to have dinner here, right?” she asks Xena as they reach the outskirts of the village. ”I'm so looking forward to eating pork, vegetables, bread – anything that's not fish. I might seriously throw up if I so much as hear someone say that word out loud to me.”

”Sure,” Xena says. ”Let's not stay in this village for too long, alright? We'd better get going soon. A few hours should be enough for us to get everything done.”

”Alright,” Gabrielle says. She's a little disappointed to hear this, but she knows Xena's right. They're headed to a village three or four days away from this one, wanting to track down an evil warlord who has been terrorizing the area recently. They're not in too much of a hurry, because the villagers have been informed and are preparing themselves for the attack, but they have already been traveling for a while, and they're both getting impatient, just wanting to get this over with. Gabrielle is not only looking forward to fighting the warlord together with Xena; she's hoping to spend a day or two at the village afterwards, too, relaxing and working on her scrolls. Gabrielle is sure it's going to be terrific; she just needs to convince Xena about this, too.

The village is small but lively, and the streets are crowded at this time of the day, the market bustling with people. Gabrielle looks around as she walks, smiling at the sight of elders conversing in small groups, vendors trying to sell their products, and little kids running around between the stalls. This place, like most villages they visit, reminds her of Potidaea. Gabrielle sometimes misses her family and home village, but not as much as she expected. She's only been traveling with Xena for around a year now, but she already feels oddly comfortable around her. Gabrielle knows it's weird, but she's starting to think they've been together before, too – in a different world, maybe, years and years ago.

”I'm going to find a place for Argo to stay in for a while,” Xena says, dismounting the horse and patting her neck.

”I'll take care of the shopping while you're away,” Gabrielle says.

”That would be great,” Xena says, pulling the reins over Argo's head. ”Meet me at the tavern when you're done, alright?”

”I will,” Gabrielle says. ”It's probably going to take a while, though. Believe me, there's a lot of stuff I need to buy before we leave.”

Gabrielle watches them go, then turns around and makes her way back to the market. She wanders around aimlessly for a while and just checks out what the vendors have to offer, listening to the conversations around herself as she lazily shuffles from stall to stall, a small smile playing on her lips. She ends up buying some bread, cheese and wine, enough for three days, but it should be fine, because they're going to hunt and fish on the road anyway, as they always do. Gabrielle decides to buy them new blankets, too, and after a long time of carefully comparing the products and intense bargaining, she purchases two beautifully woven dark blankets, which make their old ones look like dirty rugs. Gabrielle manages to get a really good deal for the blankets, and she's smiling triumphantly as she tucks them under her arm, so proud of herself for not wasting too much money on this. She can't believe how much fun something as simple as shopping for necessities can be, even though she understands she only feels this way because she hasn't been able to do any shopping at all recently. She decides to just enjoy it, because she knows she will miss this feeling when they're back on the road; she always does.

She already has everything they need, but she still feels like doing some shopping. She starts going through the stalls again, this time paying attention to products she was too busy to notice before: ornaments, toys, vases, clothes. There's a stall that sells jewelry right next to the one where she bought the blankets from, and Gabrielle spends a long time just staring at the elaborate bracelets, necklaces and earrings on sale, charmed by the vibrant colors of the gemstone pendants and the way the delicate crystals glimmer in the late afternoon sunlight.

There's one in particular that catches her attention, a very simple necklace with a leather cord and a pale pink pendant on it. Gabrielle feels immediately drawn to the soft, feminine beauty of the crystal, her heart swelling in her chest as she admires the rosy pink hue. There seems to be something special about this necklace, but she can't figure out what it is. She decides it's just the beautiful shade of pink, even though she has a feeling there's something more to it, something she might never find out.

”Excuse me,” Gabrielle says, picking up the necklace and showing it to the vendor. ”What kind of a crystal is this? I really like the color.”

”This crystal is called rose quartz,” the vendor says. She's a friendly-looking older woman, her face wrinkled and her brown eyes clear and wise. ”Would you like to try it on? I'm sure it would look very nice on a pretty young girl like you.”

”Sure,” Gabrielle says. She puts the necklace around her neck, careful not to break it, and strikes a pose. ”How does it look?”

”It looks very beautiful on you,” the woman says, smiling softly at her.

”I like it, too,” Gabrielle admits, glancing down at her chest. The pendant feels cool against her skin, swaying slightly as she moves. ”I'm really tempted to buy this necklace. How much is it?”

”Five dinars,” the woman says. ”Rose quartz beads are not easy to find around here. My son brought me a handful of these from Rome.”

”That's a shame,” Gabrielle says. ”I'm sure a lot of women would like to wear a beautiful necklace like this one.”

”My son told me that rose quartz is a well-known crystal in Rome,” the woman says. ”They believe it helps its carrier to give and receive love. Some use it for healing, too, I hear. I have yet to try the healing powers of rose quartz myself, but I believe it can be very helpful in treating a variety of illnesses, both mental and physical. It has a powerful energy, I can tell.”

”That's really interesting,” Gabrielle says and looks down at the pendant. She has heard stories about crystals and their powers before, too, but she's still not sure if she believes in them. She just can't understand how a tiny piece of quartz like this one could have an effect on someone's emotional life, let alone heal actual mental or physical illnesses. It's a nice thought, and she wants to believe it, but she can't, no matter how much she tries to. ”I think I'm going to take it, but I'm not willing to pay more than four dinars for it.”

Gabrielle ends up paying three dinars for the necklace, which she thinks is a really good bargain, considering how difficult it apparently is to find rose quartz in Greece. The woman is smiling at her as she leaves, and Gabrielle smiles back, hoping she'll meet her again, even though it's unlikely, because they don't really visit this place very often. She's in a good mood as she heads off to the tavern, humming softly to herself and hugging the blankets closer to her body, the pendant resting peacefully against her chest. 

–

It's already dark out when they decide to call it a day and make a camp, the forest empty and quiet around them, most animals getting ready for the night. Xena gathers wood and makes a fire while Gabrielle takes Argo to a nearby waterfall and fills their waterskins. They sit down around the fire to eat bread and drink wine, both of them mostly silent as they stare at the flames, too tired to really talk that much. 

”Do you think we'll find the warlord before he reaches the village?” Gabrielle asks after they have finished eating, brushing crumbs from her skirt. ”He's less than a day ahead of us, after all.”

”We might, but we have to be quick,” Xena says. She's polishing her sword, which is something she does every night, even if they've just been traveling the entire day, like they did today. ”It would be good if we did, though. I don't want the villagers to get involved with this – there are too many innocent lives at stake.”

”You think we can defeat him and his men without help?” Gabrielle asks.

”Yeah,” Xena says, lifting the sword and eyeing the blade. ”I'm pretty sure I can take care of them. Someone told me he only has fifteen men with him, so it shouldn't be too difficult. I just need to catch them off guard, that's all.”

”You're not going to tell me to go hide while you fight them all by yourself, are you?” 

”It's going to be dangerous,” Xena says, glancing up at her. ”They're ruthless, and they know how to fight.” 

”I'm not letting you do this alone, Xena,” Gabrielle says. ”I want to fight them with you. I'm never going to become a true warrior if you don't let me help you.”

”Forget it, Gabrielle. I don't want you to get involved with this.”

”Well, I want to get involved with this. If you're going to fight, then I'm going to fight, too.”

”I said forget it, Gabrielle.”

”But this is important, Xena, this—”

”Your safety is more important,” Xena says, almost hissing this, her voice sharp. Gabrielle has opened her mouth to protest but closes it immediately, startled by this sudden outburst. Xena looks down at the ground, her body tense. For a moment, she looks almost miserable, and it makes Gabrielle want to touch her, but she decides against it. 

”I just want to help,” Gabrielle says, carefully.

”And I just want you to stay safe,” Xena says, her voice quiet. 

”Let's forget about this for now, alright?” Gabrielle says. ”We still have three days to go before we reach the warlord. I'm sure we can come up with a plan we're both satisfied with.”

”I think that's for the best, too,” Xena says. She sits up straighter and puts the sword back into its sheath. ”It's no use fighting over this right now. We're both tired.”

”Listen, Xena,” Gabrielle says after a short moment of silence, eager to change the subject. ”I was thinking that it would be nice to spend a couple of days in Toryne when this is all over. We could just take it easy for a while, and I could work on my scrolls. The beaches are amazing there, I have heard, so we could go swimming in the mornings and just wander around the village in the afternoons. I think we have deserved it.”

”That sounds nice,” Xena says. She gives her a small smile, her eyes soft. ”I think we can do that. We've been on the road for days, so we might as well stay once we get there, right?”

”Right,” Gabrielle says, surprised but pleased. She had been thinking that it would be much more difficult to talk Xena into this, because she doesn't really like to spend too much time in one place, especially if there's nothing for her to do there. Gabrielle's not that much different, but she's willing to make an exception with this particular village, just once.

They're silent for a long time, both of them preoccupied with their own thoughts. The fire is crackling quietly between the two of them, and the flames illuminate Xena's face, lighting up her tanned skin with a warm glow. Gabrielle just stares at her for a moment, unable to look away, her face getting hot when her eyes drop to her lips. 

Suddenly, she feels an overwhelming urge to kiss her, and her heart starts to beat faster as she thinks about how her lips would feel against her own, what she would taste like, what it would sound like. Gabrielle has been wanting to kiss Xena for months, but never as much as she does right now; she's actually starting to get a little dizzy, the mere thought of their mouths touching making her head swim, her lips tingling as she parts them. Gabrielle knows it's never going to actually happen, because Xena most likely doesn't feel the same way about her, and it makes her a little sad, but she's not too upset about it, and never will be. She just wants to be with her, travel with her, learn from her; that's all that matters to her. 

They look at each other, Gabrielle still flustered by how desperately she wants to kiss her and Xena calm, thoughtful, her face very soft. Gabrielle is nervous, fearing that Xena might figure out what's going on, but she doesn't seem to, which slowly makes her calm down. Gabrielle stops thinking and decides to just breathe, her eyes still locked on Xena's. 

She knows they have had their disagreements, mostly because she wants to fight but Xena doesn't let her, but she can't say she doesn't understand why Xena's so unwilling to even discuss this subject with her. Gabrielle is sure that if she was her, she would be exactly the same; she'd want to protect her friend, too, keep her safe no matter what it would take. Xena is so good, always trying to think about what is best for her, and Gabrielle loves her for that, she really does, more than Xena will ever know.

Her heart swells in her chest as she looks at her, the emotion so strong and sudden that it almost brings tears to her eyes, but she blinks and looks away, struggling to maintain her composure. Gabrielle has never felt like this before in her life, and she knows she should probably be scared by how much Xena means to her, but she's not, for some reason, not at all. It just feels right, like she has finally found something she's unconsciously been looking for her entire life, something important she'd been missing for all those years she lived with her family in Potidaea.

Xena parts her lips, and Gabrielle waits for her to say something, but she doesn't. For a moment, she seems lost, and Gabrielle thinks she sees a flash of vulnerability in her eyes, which makes her look younger, much younger, but then it's gone, and everything's back to normal. 

”I think we should go to bed,” Gabrielle says, breaking the silence. She's exhausted, suddenly, just wanting to lie down on her bedroll and close her eyes.

”Yeah,” Xena says. She straightens up and glances around, slightly confused. ”Me, too. Tomorrow's going to be a long day.”

They spread out their bedrolls and make sure Argo's okay, talking about nothing in particular as they do their chores, both of them wanting to think about something else than what just happened by the campfire. It helps them to relax, which feels really nice, but doesn't make Gabrielle forget about the rush of emotion she experienced, not completely. She smiles at Xena as they settle down on their bedrolls, laid out only inches away from each other near the fire, but stays awake for a while after turning her back to her and just stares off into the distance, deep in thought.

–

Gabrielle sleeps just as well as she had been expecting, soundly and without interruption. When she awakes, it's already light out, and the birds are chirping in the trees all around her, the air still cool from the night. Xena's awake, too; her bedroll is empty, but still warm from her body heat, the blanket carelessly thrown aside. She's having a morning bath in the waterfall, the clear blue water sparkling in the early morning sunlight.

Gabrielle sits up and looks around, her eyelids still heavy. She feels well-rested and calm, the emotional turmoil from last night now mostly forgotten, just a distant memory. She gets up to her feet and starts walking towards the waterfall, unlacing her top and squirming out of her skirt on her way there, undressed by the time she reaches the water. They've been taking morning baths together ever since they started traveling together, but Gabrielle still looks forward to it every day. Today, she's feeling a little shy about exposing herself to Xena, but not shy enough to decide against joining her. She reminds herself that this is just part of their morning routine, something they do every day.

She leaves her clothes next to Xena's and wades into the water, shivering as the tiny waves hit her ankles. Xena turns to look at Gabrielle and gives her a big smile. Gabrielle smiles back and keeps walking until the water's up to her chest, her entire body stiff and trembling. She starts swimming and dives almost immediately, gasping as she surfaces a moment later. Xena swims closer, still smiling.

”Morning,” she says. ”Cold, isn't it?”

”Yeah,” Gabrielle says. ”At least I'm fully awake now.”

”Those blankets are great,” Xena says. ”I slept like a baby last night.”

”Are you trying to give me a compliment?” Gabrielle asks, smugly. ”You don't need to thank me, Xena. I know I made a really good bargain back there.”

”Oh, I'll thank you,” Xena says and smirks at her before disappearing under the water. Gabrielle looks around, laughing a little, waiting for her to attack her at any moment. She can't see anything at first, the water too deep and dark around her, but after a few seconds of nervous anticipation, she spots a hand reaching out for her right leg, the movement so fast that it almost catches her off guard. Gabrielle kicks her leg towards Xena and backs off immediately, watching the water with intent eyes, expecting another attack. Nothing happens, and when Xena finally surfaces, she starts splashing water towards her, laughing more as Xena does the same to her.

They keep playing around for a while, completely absorbed in this game, everything else momentarily forgotten. Xena makes a few more half-hearted attempts to pull Gabrielle under the water, and Gabrielle dodges her attacks every time, splashing water at her whenever she rises to the surface. At one point, she manages to surprise Gabrielle by surfacing right in front of her, so close that she doesn't really have time to defend herself. Gabrielle tries to escape, splashing and kicking and screaming as she desperately swims towards the beach, but it's already too late. Xena's hand wraps around her arm, and Gabrielle stops, her feet touching the bottom.

”Gotcha,” Xena says, breathless.

For a moment, they just stand there and look at each other, trying to catch their breaths. Xena is still holding Gabrielle's arm, and her face is more serious now, her blue eyes clear and bright. Gabrielle's heart starts beating faster as she realizes how close they are, their naked bodies only inches away from each other. This shouldn't be a big deal, because they bathe together on a daily basis, but somehow, it is, and it's making Gabrielle dizzy again, her breath hitching in her throat and her heartbeat thudding in her ears.

Xena hesitates, then moves closer, cupping Gabrielle's face with both hands. Gabrielle just stares at her, holding her breath, unable to believe this is really happening. She's acutely aware of the way their bodies press against each other, wet skin against wet skin, so cold and soft and smooth. She opens her mouth, wanting to say something, anything, but the words never come. Xena looks conflicted, and, for a moment, almost scared, and Gabrielle can't help but pray silently, selfishly: please, let this happen, please. 

Xena's eyes drop to her lips, and then she's leaning forward, and Gabrielle's closing her eyes and parting her lips and not thinking about anything anymore.

Their lips touch softly, carefully, just brushing against each other at first. Gabrielle puts her hands on Xena's hips and opens her mouth for her, desperate to let her know how much she needs this. Xena seems to understand, because she tilts her head and kisses her properly, her lips firm and moist against her own. Gabrielle doesn't want this moment to ever end, but it does, way too fast. Xena pulls away right when she's starting to really enjoy this, and Gabrielle opens her eyes and looks up at her, wanting to be kissed again, more than ever before.

”Gabrielle,” Xena says. Her voice is low and gentle, slightly breathless. Gabrielle wants to freeze this moment, listen to that voice forever.

”Xena,” Gabrielle says, tentatively. She's still speechless, searching for the right words.

”I wanted to kiss you last night, too,” Xena says. She's starting to smile, her face very soft.

”Xena,” Gabrielle says again, this time more confident. ”Me, too. I've been wanting this to happen for a long time.”

”You could have kissed me, if you wanted to,” Xena says. She puts her hands on Gabrielle's shoulders, then on her hips, touching her like she's fragile and precious, a treasure. ”I wouldn't have minded at all.”

”I didn't know if you'd like it or not,” Gabrielle says, lowering her gaze. ”I decided not to do anything about it. I just didn't want to ruin anything.”

”I understand,” Xena says. She lifts Gabrielle's chin with her fingers, waiting until she looks up at her. ”I hope you know how much you mean to me.”

”I do,” Gabrielle says, smiling a little. ”I really do, Xena.”

Xena cups her face again, brushing her thumbs over her cheeks. Gabrielle allows this, still overwhelmed by what just happened. It's cold, and she's starting to shiver, but she doesn't want to move, not if it means having to let go of Xena. Xena's gaze drops to the pendant hanging around her neck, and she smiles, her eyes lingering on the necklace before she looks up again. Gabrielle glances down, too; she had completely forgotten she was even wearing it. Gabrielle thinks about the moment at the campfire and the way Xena just kissed her, and she freezes, her body growing stiff in Xena's arms. This changes everything, and she doesn't like it, not at all.

They're mostly silent as they get dressed and eat breakfast; Gabrielle only talks because she doesn't want Xena to worry about her. She slips away while Xena's getting Argo ready for the trip and walks deeper into the forest, too distraught to really appreciate the lush greenery around her. She sits down on a fallen tree trunk and closes her eyes for a moment, breathing in and out, in and out, in and out, trying not to think about anything. Then, slowly, she takes off the necklace and looks down at the pale pink pendant she's holding in her hand, hot tears filling her eyes.

There's no doubt in her mind now that this pendant is altering their feelings. Gabrielle has been in love with Xena for months, but she has never felt like this before, her heart starting to beat faster as she so much as thinks about her and her head still swimming from what just happened at the waterfall. Gabrielle loves Xena so much that it feels like her heart is about to burst, and it's a good feeling, warm and meaningful, but the intensity frightens her, and not only because she has never been in love before. These emotions are too strong and sudden to be natural, she's sure of that.

Gabrielle blinks the tears away, biting her lip to keep herself from crying. She wonders if the pendant has been altering Xena's feelings, too, and if so, how much. Gabrielle knows Xena cares for her deeply, too, but she doesn't think Xena would actually want to kiss her. Their relationship has always been purely platonic, similar to those she had with her childhood friends in her home village, but deeper, and much more intimate.

Gabrielle lets out a soft sigh and kneels on the forest floor. She digs a hole in the ground and pauses to look at the necklace, a heavy lump rising in her throat as she picks it up. She buries the necklace carefully, making sure nobody's going to find it here, not even by accident, and gets up when she's done, wiping her eyes dry with the back of her hand as she heads back to the camp.

She doesn't want to wear the necklace anymore, not if it keeps messing with their emotions and feelings like this. Gabrielle wants them to be able to express their true feelings for each other, even if it means that Xena won't love her the way she'd like her to, that she won't kiss and hold her the way she did this morning. It hurts, but she'd deal with the heartache rather than the overwhelming guilt of being deceitful and manipulating someone she cares about so much. 

–

Gabrielle is exhausted by the time they find a safe place to camp. It's past midnight, and they've been traveling for what feels like an eternity, walking through dense forests and wading across shallow rivers and passing quiet clearings. They've been attacked three times, and Gabrielle is expecting yet another attack, possibly during the night, even though Xena says there's nobody around. They're several miles off the trail, surrounded by sturdy trees and protected by the darkness of the night. Gabrielle really hopes nobody shows up; she just wants to sleep, because tomorrow's going to be a long day, too, and she wants to be ready for that, especially if they have to fight.

”I think I'm going straight to bed,” Gabrielle says after they have spread out their bedrolls. She sits down on the ground, taking off her boots. ”I'm so tired I can barely keep my eyes open.”

”Me, too,” Xena says. ”Today was a pretty tough day.”

”How much longer until we reach the village?” Gabrielle asks. ”Two, three days?”

”I'd say two,” Xena says. ”We're almost halfway there.”

”I seriously can't wait to get to Toryne,” Gabrielle says as she crawls under the covers, happy to be able to lie down, after hours and hours of traveling. ”I want to spend a day by the sea and just look at the sparkling water and write. Wouldn't that be nice?”

”Sure,” Xena says and starts to take off her armor. Gabrielle rolls onto her stomach and props her chin in her hands, watching Xena with vague interest. She has always been weirdly fascinated by this simple ritual she performs every night right before going to bed, even though she doesn't know why. It's just such a comfort, knowing that the day is finally over, that they can just sleep and relax. ”I hope the water's not too cold there. I'd really like to go swimming and stuff.”

”Me, too,” Gabrielle says. ”Do you think we could spend a night or two on the beach? That would be so great. We could fall asleep listening to the sound of the waves and go swimming right after waking up.”

”I like that idea,” Xena says and glances up at her. She's smiling, just slightly. ”I don't think I could say no even if I wanted to. You always make everything sound so – appealing.”

”Well, it's part of being a bard, I guess. I like to make things sound nice.”

Xena lets her armor fall to the ground and steps out of her boots. She comes closer and lies down on her bedroll, rolling over to her side to face her. Gabrielle does the same and smiles at Xena when their eyes meet, blinking to stay awake a little longer. Their faces are just inches away from each other, not too close, but not that far, either. Xena's face is very soft, her eyes full of affection.

”Gabrielle,” Xena says, a little more quietly. She reaches out and puts her hand on Gabrielle's side, her touch careful, feather-light. Gabrielle moves instinctively closer, drawn to her warmth, charmed by her beautiful low voice. Xena parts her lips, letting out a quiet breath. She looks like she wants to kiss Gabrielle, and Gabrielle goes stiff when she realizes she wants that, too, so much that her lips are starting to tingle, her heart jumping in her chest in a way that's almost painful.

Gabrielle swallows hard and takes a deep breath to keep herself calm. She's so conflicted, desperately wanting to kiss Xena but knowing she should just move away, because this shouldn't be happening to her, not anymore. She had been so sure she'd stop feeling this way after getting rid of the necklace, but she was wrong, and it's making her really anxious, her body so tense that it actually hurts. Gabrielle has no idea what she should do next; she already did everything she could. She feels possessed, and the prospect of not being able to change things back into normal only adds to her distress. She's starting to shake, and there's absolutely nothing she can do to stop.

”Gabrielle,” Xena says, sounding worried. She touches Gabrielle's cheek, brushing a strand of hair away from her face. She's serious now, almost scared. ”What's wrong?”

Gabrielle just stares at her, unable to speak. This seems to increase Xena's anxiety, to the point where she's starting to look panicked. She scoots closer to Gabrielle, stroking her face and hair, desperately trying to comfort her. ”Gabrielle, please, talk to me. I want to help.”

”Xena,” Gabrielle says, finally finding her voice. ”Xena, I – remember what I told you about the necklace earlier today?”

”Yes,” Xena says. Gabrielle had lied to her about the necklace, saying she had lost it instead of hiding it, because she didn't feel like explaining the entire story to her, too embarrassed and scared to talk about it. Xena had given her a suspicious look, but hadn't said anything, which had been a big relief to her. Gabrielle hates lying, but this time, she felt like she didn't have a choice, not if she wanted to keep her dignity and save them both from humiliation. ”What about it?”

”I didn't lose it,” Gabrielle says, in a quiet voice. ”I buried it in the ground. I needed to get rid of it.”

”What happened?” Xena asks. 

Gabrielle is silent for a moment, then starts to speak, too embarrassed to look her in the eye. ”The woman who sold me the necklace told me that the crystal pendant has secret powers. It helps its carrier to give and receive love, she said. I didn't believe her at first, but then all these things started to happen. I wanted to kiss you so bad last night, and you kissed me at the waterfall this morning, and it was amazing, but somehow, it didn't feel right. I told you I'd been wanting to kiss you for a long time, and it's true, it always was, but this – I was overwhelmed by how strong my feelings were. It was beyond anything I had ever felt before, and I, um, I guess it scared me. So I started to think that the crystal was messing with my emotions.”

”And you decided to hide the necklace?”

”Yeah. I thought I had managed to get rid of it, but I – I don't know.”

”Gabrielle,” Xena says, softly. ”Crystals don't have dark powers. I know there are a lot of people who use them for healing, but I have never heard of a crystal actually changing the way someone feels, not in a way that might hurt them. Their powers are symbolic, if anything.”

Gabrielle doesn't speak for a long time, pondering her words. Then, she lets out a soft sigh and just nods. ”I – I know. I guess I just got really confused. I had never felt like this before, and I didn't know how to handle it.”

”It's alright,” Xena says. ”It's not always easy, having to deal with strong emotions all by yourself.”

”Xena,” Gabrielle says. She puts her hand on Xena's arm, squeezing gently. ”I don't want our relationship to change because of this. I still want to be able to kiss you, if that's what you want, too. I've been waiting for this for so long – I don't want to throw it all away now.”

”I don't want that, either,” Xena says. ”Just remember that nothing will ever change the way I feel about you. I will always love you, no matter what happens.”

”I will always love you, too,” Gabrielle says. ”That's how I really feel. I know that now.”

Xena smiles and strokes her face, then puts her hand on her blanket-covered shoulder. Gabrielle moves closer to her, sighing softly as her body presses against Xena's, their bare legs touching under the covers. She chuckles as their noses bump, but doesn't pull away. They kiss, and it's just as good as Gabrielle remembers, soft and sweet and intimate, enough to take her breath away. She could spend the night like this, not thinking about anything, just touching and tasting and feeling. She doesn't even want to sleep, not anymore. This is much better, so real, almost too good to be true.

It feels like they're the only people in this world, the soft silence endless around them, the stars bright and beautiful in the dark sky above the trees. Gabrielle hides her face against Xena's chest and closes her eyes, breathing in her familiar, natural scent. Xena has wrapped an arm around her, and Gabrielle can hear her heatbeat if she listens closely, her favorite sound in the world. 

”Everything alright?” Xena asks, her voice low.

”Yeah,” Gabrielle says. ”I'm just kind of sad that I hid that necklace. It was so beautiful.”

”We can get you a new one, if you want,” Xena says.

”I doubt we're going to find another necklace with a pendant like that,” Gabrielle says. ”Rose quartz is kind of rare, apparently, at least around here.”

”We'll going to find you one, somehow,” Xena says. She kisses the top of Gabrielle's head, hugging her closer. ”Sleep, Gabrielle. We need to rest.”

Gabrielle is too tired to object, her eyelids so heavy she can barely keep her eyes open. She shifts until she finds a comfortable position and smiles as Xena carefully arranges the blankets around them. She falls asleep within moments, feeling warm and safe and loved, knowing this dream will never end. 

–

The sea is still breathtakingly beautiful here, blue and deep and endless, a mystery. Gabrielle takes a deep breath and walks closer, listening to the soothing sound of the waves. She steps out of her boots and lets her bare feet sink into the hot sand, smiling as the warm breeze caresses her skin. She has missed this place so much, and she knows Xena has, too, even though she doesn't really talk about it. It's good to be back, even though they can't really stay, not as long as she'd like to. They're just passing by, wanting to reach the nearby city of Ambracia before the night falls.

They've been to many places like this before, but Gabrielle will always like this particular beach the most. She thinks back to the time she spent here with Xena just days after they had become lovers, when everything had been so new and exciting. It's been years since then, and they've been through so much together, but Gabrielle wouldn't change anything about it. She knows now that this is where she is meant to be.

She stops and waits, still smiling. Xena comes to stand beside her, so close that their arms are touching. They look at the sea, not talking, just enjoying the view.

”It's so funny,” Gabrielle says, breaking the silence. ”It's just like I remember it. The weather, the wind, everything.”

”Yeah,” Xena says. ”Takes me back to those days, too.”

”Do you think we could come back here some day, when we have time?” Gabrielle asks. ”I'd like to spend the night here again, like we did back then. Just the two of us, not having to worry about anything.”

”Sure,” Xena says. She's silent for a long time, watching the waves, deep in thought. Finally, she turns and glances at her, and a small smile appears on her face. ”We could stay here tonight, you know. We're not in that much of a hurry anyway.”

”We don't need to do this right now,” Gabrielle says. ”That's not how I meant it.”

”No, it's fine, really,” Xena says. ”We can catch up tomorrow. We really like it here, so might as well make a camp now and just enjoy ourselves.”

”Sounds nice,” Gabrielle says and smiles at her. ”I think you're right. Let's stay here tonight.”

”I've got a little gift for you,” Xena says, suddenly. Gabrielle turns to look at her, surprised.

”For me? Xena, you shouldn't have – I don't need anything, really.”

”Well, I want to give it to you anyway. I think you're going to like it.”

She hands her a small leather pouch, their fingers brushing against each other in the process, the touch very gentle, almost reverent. Gabrielle looks at the pouch, then at Xena, waiting for her to say something. Xena just nods and smiles. Gabrielle smiles back before opening the pouch and fishing ouf her gift, and a soft exhale escapes her lips as she touches something smooth and cool – an oddly familiar oval shape, which reminds her of something she can't quite identify. She knows exactly what it is as soon as she sees the pale pink stone, and her eyes grow wide, her jaw dropping open in surprise.

”Xena,” she breathes, staring at the pendant in her hand, unable to believe her eyes. ”Xena, this is – when did you – where did you get this?”

”It was a small village in Illyria,” Xena says. ”We spent the night there a few weeks ago.”

”Oh, yeah,” Gabrielle says. ”I think I remember that place. You sneaked out in the morning, while I was still half asleep.”

”Yeah,” Xena says. ”I've been waiting for the right moment to give it to you. I figured this would be the perfect place to do it.”

”This is amazing, Xena,” Gabrielle says. ”Thank you so much.”

”I'm glad you like it,” Xena says, softly. 

”It's so beautiful,” Gabrielle says. ”It looks just like the one I had back then.”

”You want to put it on?” Xena asks.

”Yeah, absolutely,” Gabrielle says. ”Can you help me with that?”

Xena takes the necklace from her and gently touches her side. Gabrielle turns around and lowers her head, her eyes sliding shut as she feels Xena's hand on her shoulder. She stands still as Xena ties the necklace around her neck, breathing deeply, the smell of salt in the air. She could fall asleep like this, just listening to the waves endlessly lapping the shore, the sun pleasantly warm on her skin. Xena's hands withdraw, and she opens her eyes, turning around to face her.

”Thanks.”

”No problem,” Xena says. She looks at the pendant, smiling when their eyes meet. ”Looks good on you.”

Gabrielle smiles and touches the pendant. Her heart is filled with deep love and endless peace, everything she's ever been looking for. She takes Xena's hand, feeling calm and confident, truly alive.

”I'll take good care of it,” she says.


End file.
